Chapter 39

  Hast thou known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? The bringing forth of hinds thou dost mark!  

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  Thou dost number the months they fulfil? And thou hast known the time of their bringing forth!  

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  They bow down, Their young ones they bring forth safely, Their pangs they cast forth.  

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  Safe are their young ones, They grow up in the field, they have gone out, And have not returned to them.  

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  Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Yea, the bands of the wild ass who opened?  

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  Whose house I have made the wilderness, And his dwellings the barren land,  

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  He doth laugh at the multitude of a city, The cries of an exactor he heareth not.  

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  The range of mountains [is] his pasture, And after every green thing he seeketh.  

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  Is a Reem willing to serve thee? Doth he lodge by thy crib?  

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  Dost thou bind a Reem in a furrow [with] his thick band? Doth he harrow valleys after thee?  

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  Dost thou trust in him because great [is] his power? And dost thou leave unto him thy labour?  

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  Dost thou trust in him That he doth bring back thy seed? And [to] thy threshing-floor doth gather [it]?  

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  The wing of the rattling ones exulteth, Whether the pinion of the ostrich or hawk.  

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  For she leaveth on the earth her eggs, And on the dust she doth warm them,  

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  And she forgetteth that a foot may press it, And a beast of the field tread it down.  

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  Her young ones it hath hardened without her, In vain [is] her labour without fear.  

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  For God hath caused her to forget wisdom, And He hath not given a portion To her in understanding:  

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  At the time on high she lifteth herself up, She laugheth at the horse and at his rider.  

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  Dost thou give to the horse might? Dost thou clothe his neck [with] a mane?  

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  Dost thou cause him to rush as a locust? The majesty of his snorting [is] terrible.  

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  They dig in a valley, and he rejoiceth in power, He goeth forth to meet the armour.  

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  He laugheth at fear, and is not affrighted, And he turneth not back from the face of the sword.  

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  Against him rattle doth quiver, The flame of a spear, and a halbert.  

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  With trembling and rage he swalloweth the ground, And remaineth not stedfast Because of the sound of a trumpet.  

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  Among the trumpets he saith, Aha, And from afar he doth smell battle, Roaring of princes and shouting.  

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  By thine understanding flieth a hawk? Spreadeth he his wings to the south?  

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  At thy command goeth an eagle up high? Or lifteth he up his nest?  

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  A rock he doth inhabit, Yea, he lodgeth on the tooth of a rock, and fortress.  

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  From thence he hath sought food, To a far off place his eyes look attentively,  

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  And his brood gulph up blood, And where the pierced [are] -- there [is] he!  

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